The Confrontation
by J-James
Summary: Mick must face his worst fear when his best friend and the woman he loves finally come face to face
1. Chapter 1

**The Confrontation**

**Rating: K+**

**Disclaimer:** All characters are the property of CBS, Warner Brothers and Silver Productions. I'm just taking them out for a spin.

Beth exited the elevator and headed towards Mick's apartment. The closer she got, the more she could feel the excited butterflies performing acrobatics in her stomach. The same thrill she always got when she knew she would soon see Mick. The two had been drawing closer and closer together over the course of the last few weeks, ever since he had revealed what he was -- a vampire. There were moments when it still seemed incomprehensible to her. As he had said, "It's a lot to….get." The revelation, although shocking and surprising, actually helped answer some questions for her when she dwelt upon it. The strange way he acted that day at the cemetery, darting under the tree line, for example. Little things that she had found odd, but had dismissed as just being quirky, eccentric even.

And now, weeks later, even though the thought of vampirism still scared her in a way, she knew one thing for sure - one thing she was positive had NOT changed with his declaration, and that was that he was still her friend. Deep down inside, past the lingering fear and doubt, she was confident that that would never change. Something had bonded them that night, maybe it was knowing that he had trusted her enough to divulge what she was sure was his deepest secret. And sometimes, late at night when sleep evaded her, she contemplated the idea that maybe they had always been connected, had always been meant to meet, almost as if it had been predestined.

Shaking her head in order to clear her thoughts, Beth reached into her pocket and retrieved the lock deactivator that Mick had given to her. She still felt odd just walking in without knocking, but he had insisted that she should feel free to come and go as she liked. She guiltily wished she could return the favor. Frowning for just a second as she entered the apartment, her thoughts briefly dwelt on her relationship with Josh. She loved Josh, that was certain. But the question as of late, the query that kept rolling through her mind on those sleepless evenings, was, did she love him enough. The thought gave her pause, but she soon swept it away as she walked in. That question was left for another time.

Beth closed the door behind her and meandered over to the kitchen area. As she placed the bag she was carrying on the counter, she called out, "Mick? Are you here?" Pausing for no more than a second, she continued, "I stopped on my way over and picked up some Chinese. Hope you don't mind if I brought my dinner with me!"

"Not at all," came a controlled voice from directly behind her.

Beth whirled around as quickly as her body would allow and was shocked to find a man she did not recognize standing no more than five feet away. Scrambling, she moved to the other side of the kitchen's island, hoping to put a barrier between her and this stranger.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked, her voice shaky from fright, her adrenaline flowing swiftly.

The ghost of a smile flitted at the corner of the stranger's mouth, his eyes flashing briefly with amusement, "Impeccable interviewing skills. I can see why you're so popular at Buzzwire," came the measured reply.

Beth was taken aback by the man's answer, briefly thrown off guard by the knowledge that he obviously knew who she was. Not liking the continuing off-balance of power, Beth pressed on. "Well apparently you know who I am. Would it be possible to get _your_ name?" she asked, silently relieved to hear some of her confidence returning as she spoke.

Seconds ticked by as the two eyed each other from across the counter, each measuring the other up, registering details and mentally taking notes. Beth's bravado was quickly fading. Any confidence she felt she had gained was slowly leeching away. For lack of a better description, she felt like prey being sized up by the predator. A slow chill began to seep into her bones as the moment seemed to expand. For her part, she tried her level best to maintain eye contact, seeming to know that tearing her gaze away would somehow be construed as weakness. If living in a large city like LA had taught her anything, it had been to never put yourself at a disadvantage.

For whatever reason, a smile finally worked itself onto the outsider's face. It was like watching the sun slowly rise above the horizon, the cold presence of night slowly giving way to the warming rays of dawn. The transformation was remarkable and stunning. The man standing before her now looked every bit a gentleman, charming she would even have to say. She marveled at how a simple smile could change so much in but mere seconds. Perhaps he had been testing her, intent on seeing if he could force her into dropping her stare. Whatever the reason, she felt her defenses slowly slip. Only one other person she knew of could ever change so quickly from menacing to charismatic in but a blink of an eye. One Mick St. John. As that thought slowly floated through her head, the visitor finally spoke.

"My name is Josef Konstantin." The smile widened and Beth could have sworn that for just a second, his eyes had flashed to a pale, almost transparent shade of blue. But that would mean………

The chill that had left, was now back and spreading rapidly.

To be continued……


	2. Chapter 2

The Confrontation Part 2

It took all of Beth's will not to bolt for the door. If what her instinct was telling her was correct, and this was indeed another vampire, she knew that such a stunt would be fruitless. Mick had filled her in on the special abilities that vampires possessed - the ability to move amazingly quickly being among those attributes. Bottom line, without knowing this being's intentions, she thought better of running, knowing she would never make it to safety.

This person….this Josef Konstantin was only the second vampire she had ever met, at least the second that she knew of. The truth was, she still was more than a little frightened of the idea of immortals walking the earth. Mick had warned her that not all of the undead shared his same morals. And because of that, she had developed a rather keen sense of trepidation where these others were concerned. Mick she trusted without question, but were there others who she could believe in as well? While she pondered these questions, she noted that the man before her had remained frozen in place, that alluring smile still plastered on his face. She felt that it was almost as if he could see the wheels turning in her head and was content to wait until she'd reached some inner verdict.

Steeling her courage, she finally was able to ask, "What are you doing here?"

Josef finally moved, stepping a foot or so closer to the counter, his eyes never leaving hers. Beth remained stationary, refusing to look like an animal being backed into a corner.

"I'm waiting for Mick, actually. He asked me to meet him here," Josef replied with an amused lilt to his voice.

"Did he?" she asked with more than a slight hint of accusation. "That's funny. He's never mentioned a Josef before. How do I know that you're not some sort of….burglar or something?" Beth knew the question was absurd, and was more than a little annoyed when Josef began to laugh.

"Have you ever seen a burglar wearing an Armani suit?" he questioned, his hands sweeping down the front of his impeccably tailored ensemble.

Beth had to admit that, no, he certainly did not look like a thief, but then the question was ridiculous to start with. Still feeling out of her element and not liking that at all, she breathed in deeply and tried as best as she could to steady her nerves and calm her rapidly beating heart. Again, if Josef was indeed a vampire, he no doubt could hear the staccato rhythm and would know that she was terrified of him. The thought annoyed her and with that annoyance, the courage she had so dearly been lacking just seconds earlier began to make itself known. Straightening her posture and squaring her shoulders, she forced herself to achieve a calmer demeanor. She may not have known his intentions yet, but she'd be damned if she'd let him have her cower in fear.

"So what is your business with Mick?" she questioned, hoping to sound more like the competent reporter she was.

Josef's eyes sparkled as he responded, "Who said anything about business? As it happens, I'm just here for a friendly visit." Pausing for but a moment, his eyes dipped to take in the contours of her body, lingering in certain places with more than a touch of lustful interest. "I just hadn't anticipated it being even _more_ friendly than usual," he added, his eyes finally returning to hers, a slight haze of the pale blue surfacing yet again, seeming to emanate and glow from within.

Beth was now fuming. His perusal of her had been demeaning and disturbing. With but that one look, she felt violated. "Now look, Mr. Konstantin……."

"Josef," he practically purred, "…….call me Josef."

"As I was saying, before you so rudely interrupted, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but I am not some street corner hooker you can just ogle. Mick is my friend too and I don't think he would appreciate the way you're acting," she practically spit at him. The cowering girl was gone and the pissed-off woman had swiftly taken her place. Hands on hips, eyes alight from some inner fire, and feet firmly set, she was a sight to behold.

The leering smile that had graced Josef Konstantin's face faded just as quickly as it had come. The glow of his eyes, however, increased dramatically, intensifying and pulsating. Head slightly tilted down, jaw working feverishly, Josef slowly approached the kitchen counter. Stopping, he rested his hands on the gleaming stainless surface and leaned forward.

Now no more than two feet away, Josef spoke, his voice controlled but deadly, "I'll tell you who I am Ms. Turner…….I'm your judge and jury and your life rests in my hands."

All strength left Beth's body, and she felt herself retreat, her feet stumbling backwards until there was no where else to go. Her thoughts were one place and one place only. Mick….Mick was her only hope.

To be continued…….


	3. Chapter 3

The Confrontation Part 3

Seconds seemed like an eternity, each tick of the clock only prolonged what she was now sure would be the last moments of her life. And as time seemed to stand still, she began to lose hope that Mick would indeed be able to save her once again. She knew without him, she wouldn't stand a chance of defending herself.

For but a nanosecond, her eyes flitted to the rack of carving knives that sat on the pristinely kept kitchen counter. Could she……?

"Don't even think about it," came Josef's deadly warning.

Beth started as she looked back to the man standing before her. Had she been that obvious? It felt as if he could read every nuance. She was sure that even now, he was analyzing her every twitch, every blink of her eyes, even the sound of the blood rushing through her veins. The thought of blood took her back for but the briefest of seconds to that moment in the abandoned motel in the middle of the blazing desert. The moment she had uniquely and permanently bonded herself to Mick. To have been able to save his life was an amazing feeling. To have done so in such an immensely personal way was life-altering. If his declaration of being a vampire had connected them, freely giving her blood to him in order to save his life had cemented that link. Never in her life had she ever felt more in tune with anyone. On some instinctual level, Beth knew, without a doubt, that Mick would always be an overwhelmingly important part of her life; a life however, that at this moment very much hung in the balance.

"Look….." Beth stammered, hoping beyond hope that she could somehow find a way to defuse this situation. A few years of interviewing and plying the right people for information had helped to hone a certain skill in that area. Question was, would it work on a god-only-knew-how-old vampire. Swallowing past the bile threatening to rise in her throat, she continued, "I'm sorry for being so defensive. I really had no right to yell at you like that. I….I can see that. And if you are a friend of Mick's, then I think that we sort of……you know…..owe it to him to try to……get along." The last bit came out more as a question than a statement, but Beth didn't really care. She was more concerned with reading the individual standing before her. Had his eyes dimmed a bit? Did she detect an easing of the tenseness in his posture? Was he even registering what she said at all, or was he simply waiting for the right moment to attack?

For whatever reason, whether it be her apology or the fact that he now had her almost literally cowering in the corner, Josef did indeed begin to return to the position he held before her outburst. The eyes returned to their normal color and he seemed to relax more and more with each second that crept by. For the barest of moments, Beth also could have sworn she saw a hint of a smile lift the corner of his mouth. Perhaps it was only her rattled nerves or perhaps a trick of the light that made her cling to the hope that she had somehow gotten through to him.

Surprisingly, Josef turned his back to her and walked a few feet further toward the living area of Mick's apartment. His gaze seemed to stop for but a flash on the front door, before he turned yet again to face Beth. The enigmatic smile had returned with more than a hint of mischievousness twinkling in his eyes.

"Perhaps you're right, Ms. Turner. We do owe it to Mick to, as you say, get along. He's been a friend of mine for quite a long time. I would hate for anything to interfere with that." His smile widened, and Beth couldn't help but wonder how old this man really was standing opposite her. He was too practiced at this, too used to being able to turn the tables in but a blink of the eye. She imagined that immortality had one perk if not others; the ability to read human nature and profit from it and exploit it.

For her part, Beth tried her best to return his smile. Hoping that she didn't fail miserably at the attempt. Now that things seemed to be calming down a bit, she couldn't help but flash back to what he had said just minutes before, and the reporter in her couldn't resist asking the question, "You said judge and jury…..that you were my judge and jury……what exactly did you mean by that?" The inquiry hung in the air. And as soon as the last word left her mouth, Beth desperately wanted to retrieve it. As much as she wanted to know, she almost equally dreaded the answer.

Josef nodded his head in understanding, the smile changing to one of admiration almost as if he appreciated her bravery for asking. "We have a problem Ms. Turner….Beth….may I call you Beth? If we're to be friends, it would only be proper don't you think?" Not waiting for an answer, he continued, "You see, Beth, you have been given some information. Information that, in the wrong hands, could be both damning and have devastating consequences." Glancing in Beth's direction for a split second, Josef continued with the slow back and forth pacing that he had started at the beginning of his speech. "I know that Mick has told you about us. About what we are. I'm not at all happy about that, you understand. None of us are. That knowledge and how you deem to use it has the potential to destroy us." He then stopped and turned to her once more, as if wanting to make sure that the next part was delivered with the utmost impact. "I won't let that happen."

Beth's eyes widened slightly, still not sure that she wouldn't die that afternoon. Some of the fear that had been ebbing away began to seep into her pores once again. On some level, she understood his trepidation. Mick had made it abundantly clear that absolutely no one could know about him….about them. To do so would be to deliver a death sentence.

Beth unsteadily nodded her head in sympathy. "I understand….I really do. But I can assure you that I would never say anything. I promised that I wouldn't."

Josef bowed his head for a moment, obviously contemplating her words. Looking at her once more, he responded, "Promises can be lightly given and discarded when necessary and at will, I'm afraid. As much as I would like to believe that you're being sincere, I'm afraid that many of us doubt the ability of a human to keep such a secret safe," he continued, his head cocking to one side for an instant almost as if sensing a noise or disturbance.

Again, Beth couldn't argue with his logic and even his fear of being discovered for what he truly was. For a second after Mick's revelation, her inner reporter had almost squealed with glee at having uncovered the story of the century. She'd felt more than slightly guilty at even having thought about it. If she had followed that temptation and revealed what she knew to the world, the response would have been swift and bloody. The human race had more than a passing history of hunting down and killing what it didn't understand. Vampires, although powerful, would have never stood a chance.

Eyes now filled with concern, not only for the situation that vampires faced on a daily basis, but also for her own situation - not knowing if there was any way she could remedy this situation. Promises were, indeed, just words. And, unfortunately, Josef was right. Promises were so effortlessly made and discarded on a daily basis. How could she possibly hope to make him understand that she would never betray what she knew?

"Again, I understand. You don't know me. You have no idea what type of person I am. I wish I knew what I could say to convince you that I would never dream of divulging the secret that I've been entrusted with." It was now Beth's turn to pace, slowly she walked back and forth behind the kitchen island. Head down, eyebrows knit in concentration and worry. Mentally she scrambled to find the answer, for there had to be one.

Stopping but seconds later, she finally decided to reveal to Josef what she hadn't even been able to tell herself in her most private moments. Perhaps enough of his humanity remained that he would hear more than just the words she was about to utter.

"I would rather die than reveal what I know about Mick….about all of you. I know how much it cost him to tell me what he told me that night. How ashamed he was at having me find him like that." She looked into Josef's eyes, hoping beyond hope that he would be able to read the all too raw emotions that centered in her now tear-filled eyes. "He means more to me than I could have ever imagined, more than I could ever tell him and hope to have him understand. He's my heart and the other half of my soul." Sniffing softly, she gave Josef a sad, resigned smile. "I'll keep this secret with me until the day that I die. And I'll do that, not for you…..not for any other vampire walking this planet. I'll do it because, revealing what I know would put him in danger, and I_ would_ rather die than let that happen."

Josef's eyes never left Beth's as he watched the tears slowly slide down her slightly flushed cheeks.

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Outside the apartment, Mick leaned heavily against the door, his hand still gripping the handle he had been so ready to turn just seconds before. He'd heard most of the exchange between the two people inside, and had been poised to enter if Josef had indeed tried to harm Beth in any way. At first he had been frozen in place, having finally been faced with what he had hoped to avoid, a meeting between the woman he loved and the friend he had so heavily relied on through the years.

But what kept him on the other side of the door now was Beth's declaration of affection. His undead heart both ached and swelled at the thought. Chest slightly heaving, he closed his eyes and prayed for the first time in more years than he could count.

To be continued………

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	4. Chapter 4

**QUICK AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Obviously this is written in Moonlight AU. Although based on what has been seen in the show, this was my take on how I thought the Beth and Josef meeting should have gone and what would have happened afterwards. :-)

**The Confrontation Part 4**

Beth attempted to keep some semblance of control while she continued to stand before Josef, tears streaming down her face and emotions on display for the world to see. She hated that her declaration of love had been made before a man she knew nothing about. The words she had just spoken should have been saved for a private moment between Mick and herself, but there was no taking them back now. In fact, in some small way, her heart felt lighter for it. She realized quickly, how much of a burden it had been to keep the feeling buried, even from herself. She knew that she'd been developing strong feelings for Mick, but had never allowed herself to admit to what depths those feelings went. Taking a long shaky breath, Beth finally found her voice.

"Well…..I don't think that there's much more to say. I know that you have no reason to believe me, but……."

"I do. I do believe you," Josef interrupted, his voice soft, almost reverent.

She couldn't quite read the look on his face. Was that awe she saw in his eyes? Or perhaps it was something else…..maybe even….sadness? Again, she pondered how old this being was. How much had he gone through in his perhaps centuries old life? How much did he wish he could have back? What pain and sorrow had those eyes seen in their extended life?

Josef slowly turned and walked toward the front door, his head bowed as if in deep thought. Beth watched with a look of puzzlement and uncertainty as it appeared as if he was just going to leave without another word. A few feet from the exit, Josef spoke in a quiet voice.

"I think it's time you faced the music. Don't you think?"

Beth's eyebrows knit together and a frown turned the corners of her mouth. To say that she was confused would have been an understatement, for it seemed as if Josef was addressing the door itself and not her.

A few seconds ticked by before Beth finally understood. She watched as the door handle turned and the door opened. Mick slowly walked through the door, his eyes downcast, his shoulders slumped. Her eyes widened, and a cold stone of fear dropped into the pit of her stomach. How long had he been outside that door? How much had he heard? She watched for a moment and had her answer. He wouldn't look at her. In fact, he had yet to even face her and acknowledge her presence.

She watched as Mick stopped just a few feet away from Josef. Only then did he raise his head. The two exchanged some sort of look, a look that Beth was hard pressed to describe let alone interpret. And still, Mick refused to look at her. As each tick of the clock sounded in the eerily quiet apartment, Beth felt more and more nauseous. She had feared revealing her deepest secret, but that paled in comparison to the idea that Mick may have no feelings for her in return.

Josef broke the stand-off, and turned slightly as he obviously prepared to address the other two occupants of the room.

"Well…..it seems like the two of you may have…..certain…..matters to discuss. I think perhaps it would be best if I excused myself." A sad smile played at his lips as he quickly glanced at his friend. Fully turning toward Beth once more, Josef continued, "I do believe you, Beth. I do believe that you would never knowingly or deliberately divulge the secret of our existence. That does not mean, however, that you are not a potential threat." Beth noted the way that Mick's eyes narrowed and flashed for but a second as he watched Josef speak. If Josef had seen the display, he had chosen to ignore it. "Know this," he continued, "I'll be watching."

Josef then nodded his head in her direction before turning toward the door, pausing only briefly at Mick's side. As he did so, the elder reached out a hand and laid it almost respectfully on the younger man's shoulder, keeping it there for but a moment before continuing on. Seconds later, Mick and Beth were left alone in the apartment.

The two remained frozen in both space and time. Not for the first time since Beth had met Mick St. John, did she wonder how her life had become so incredibly complex, so uncertain. At this moment, she could hardly remember what her existence had been like before she knew that vampires were real. Had it really only been just weeks before?

The tears that had dried, now threatened once more. She could read so much just watching him from across the room. He still had yet to look at her. And as the moment expanded, Beth felt her heart almost literally breaking. He'd heard everything through that door. Had listened while she poured her heart out to a total stranger. And now he stood there, refusing to look at her. She could only come to one conclusion. He truly did not love her in return. Closing her eyes against the thought, Beth thought back through all of the moments she'd had alone with Mick. Had she really misinterpreted every look he had given her? The way he'd so selflessly risked his own life to save her? The implied meaning behind sharing his most important secret? How could she have been so mistaken?

"Say something," she was finally able to croak out, her voice raw and wavering with emotion. Trembling now, almost as if she had stepped into a Siberian winter, she opened her eyes and watched as he slowly pulled himself to his full height before turning to finally face her.

She had expected many things. Indifference, perhaps. Maybe even anger or awkwardness. What she saw in his eyes, in his face, broke her heart all the more. Pain. It was the only way to describe it. His eyes looked hollow and she could have sworn in the dim light that for the first time, he looked all of his 85 years. Physically, of course, he hadn't changed. But it was as if all pretense had been stripped away and he'd laid his soul bare for her to see. And through the torture and anguish, she could see what was lying underneath. He did love her. He loved her and it was killing him.

Beth drew in a shaky breath, and had to look away. She knew what he was going to do, and she died a little inside at the thought.

"You're going to send me away," she practically whispered through her now freely falling tears. "Aren't you?" she added, hoping beyond hope that maybe….just maybe…..she had read him wrong.

The silence was almost deafening as Beth waited, eyes now tightly shut. She desperately wanted him to answer, while part of her prayed that he never would. It felt as if her entire future hung in the balance, and only he could tip the scale one way or the other.

"Yes," he finally answered, his voice as shaky as hers had been just moments before.

A sob broke forth in the silence, as Beth practically collapsed against the counter.

To be continued……………


	5. Chapter 5

The Confrontation Part 5 

Josef exited the elevator in Mick's apartment building and walked slowly toward his waiting Ferrari. Although moving about and seemingly functioning as usual, his thoughts were transfixed on the events that had occurred just a short while ago. When Beth had first entered Mick's place, Josef had been thrilled. It was a chance to suss out exactly what type of person had penetrated Mick's seemingly impenetrable walls that he surrounded himself with. His young friend had begrudgingly told him everything that had transpired between this mortal and himself. To say that Josef had been less than thrilled would have been a monumental understatement. Unless under vampire control, any human's knowledge of their existence put their population as a whole at risk. Josef knew that. Mick knew that. Every vampire that ever walked the planet knew that. And yet it always happened. At some point in every vamp's preternaturally long life, they'd slip up……they'd let a mortal in. Maybe it was a longing for something they could no longer have? Maybe it was a hope of hanging on to something that had died within themselves? But whatever the reason, the conclusion was always the same. These things never ended well. There truly was no happily ever after when the story never ended.

Sliding into his ridiculously expensive sports car, Josef stopped suddenly and sighed forlornly. His eyes drifted closed as he allowed himself a simple indulgence. He let himself think about _her_, if only for a moment. He knew exactly what Mick was going through right now, for he too had once fallen in love with a human. Her name had been Victoria, and a slight smile graced Josef's lips remembering how her beauty alone had been enough to captivate him. She had been gentle, kind to a fault, and almost ghostly ethereal in her grace and presence. He had been enraptured, and soon found that he couldn't exist without her. He had hung on every word out of her mouth and had lived for her smiles alone. He had needed her as surely as he needed the blood that sustained his immortality. After almost 300 years of existence, he thought that he had found the way to make his eternally long life bearable, maybe even joyous.

Their relationship had grown and flourished, his love for her growing daily. He had told her everything about himself…...almost. He still had not confessed his deepest, darkest secret. But soon, in a moment of weakness……a moment when he had been swept up in emotion, he had finally told her the lot.

Back in the car, Josef opened haunted eyes. Eyes that stared vacantly at nothing at all. Even now, even after almost 100 years, he could still see the look of abject horror on Victoria's face. The more he had tried to explain, the more she had pulled away from him. And with each inch of distance that opened between them, he felt any wished for future get further and further from his grasp. He thought he had found the perfect mate to share his eternal life. Instead, he had found yet another reason to curse the so-called gift that had been bestowed upon him. Her words….her screams still reverberated in his ears. Eyes that had once looked at him with such love and longing, now only accused and showed repulsion.

Any part of him that had been holding on to what had remained of his humanity died that day. Died with the looks of disgust and the tears flowing down the face he loved now twisted in terror. As he fled, no longer able to face her accusations of ungodliness and monstrosity, he felt the beginnings of cynicism and coldness grow within him. He had trusted once. Never again.

Back in the car, still caught up in his reverie, Josef flashed forward some 30 years, and remembered another painful day. He recalled standing under a rather majestic oak tree, as he watched the proceedings. He was far enough away to be discreet, but close enough to hear what was being said. He heard the minister ramble on about the mysterious workings of God, and how everything happened for a purpose under His reign. A derisive laugh escaped Josef's lips as he listened to the priest continue on. If God had a purpose, he wondered how vampires fit into that equation.

Soon the gathering cleared, all of the attendees fleeing in their hope of dodging the rain that had minutes before begun to fall. Josef waited a few ticks more before walking slowly across the now deserted cemetery. Stopping finally before the freshly dug grave, he stared into the abyss. He had no words to say, no flowers to toss onto the beautifully carved casket. In fact, he really had no idea why he had come to the funeral that day. Perhaps just to close a painful chapter in his life. He had loved Victoria with every fiber of his being and she had rejected him. He had thought that she had been his savior, only to find that she had instead been his downfall.

Looking up into the sky, Josef had closed his eyes and let the rain wash away what was left of his hope for his own humanity. He grieved for more than just what could have been but also for what had been lost.

Turning then, he headed away from Victoria's grave and absently wondered when rain had begun to taste like salt.

To be continued………


	6. Chapter 6

**The Confrontation Part 6**

It took everything bit of Mick's willpower to keep himself from crossing the room and taking Beth into his arms. He knew how much he had hurt her -- was hurting her, and would continue to hurt her. But to give into his desires and the love that he felt for her would do her more harm in the long run. Being with him, sharing his life put her in danger, not only from the other vampires in this community but also from himself. He knew that she thought that she had an understanding of what he was, but she had really only skimmed the surface. He had felt her preoccupation and interest in vampire culture grow, but she still only understood a fraction of what their life was like. There were times when he still felt like he had a lot to learn. And there were still other times when he would listen to Josef, study the way he acted and wonder if he, himself, would someday have the same views, live the same lifestyle. Maybe it was the difference between 85 years and 400, that made Josef's view of the world and humankind so vastly different than his own. Or maybe it was the scars that never really seemed to heal that had tinged his outlook, made him more than a bit cynical and detached. Whatever the reason, Mick knew that he had to be the strong one now. He had to be the one to end what should have never begun.

Watching Beth now through pain-filled eyes, he silently wondered where he would find the strength to do just that. He eyed her as she still leaned heavily upon the counter, trying her best to control her tears and failing miserably. He saw the way her body trembled, the way her hands so tightly gripped the edge, the way she refused to look at him. Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back and silently prayed for the second time in an hour to a god he was no longer sure existed. He'd stopped believing the day he found out that the curse that Coraline had "blessed" him with could not be reversed. The day he found out he would be a blood-drinking monster for all eternity.

Mick was brought back to the here and now when he heard Beth move away from the counter and approach the spot where he stood. Her head still tilted down, she slowly shuffled her feet, stopping a few feet away. Through the curtain of her hair, he could not see her face, but he could still see the slight tremor in her body. His hands itched to reach for her, to give her some sort of comfort, but he remained steadfast. It would do more harm than good to give her any sort of consolation.

He heard her take a shaky breath before she finally uttered a one word plea, "Why?"

How could he explain this to her and still hope to have her believe that it truly was for the best? Beth Turner was a strong-willed, resilient woman. He knew her well enough now to know that she would fight him on whatever argument he would give her about their future together, a future he saw as being nothing but filled with regret and pain.

"Beth……" he began before she abruptly cut him off.

"Why are you not even willing to give this….to give us, a chance?" she implored. She looked at him then, and he saw a fire in her eyes accompanying the anguish. He knew that she wouldn't just let this go, not without a fight. In as much as he admired that determination, he knew that he had to work even harder at making her understand.

He took a deep breath and looked away for a few seconds as he attempted to collect his thoughts. "Beth," he tried again, "I do love you…..you know that." He paused then and steadied himself, all the while watching as her eyes turned slightly hopeful. He continued on before she had a chance say anything. "Maybe I love you too much." He could see the hope turn to confusion at his declaration. He turned then and walked a few more feet away, feeling the need to physically distance himself along with what he had to tell her. "If we were to do this……if I allowed you to become a part of my life…….well I…….I'm not sure I would ever be able to handle the moment that I lost you." He paused long enough to read her reaction to what he'd just said. Her bewilderment increased as the tears slowly dried on her face.

"Why….why would you think that you would lose me?" she asked tentatively, her voice barely above a whisper.

A sad smile briefly crossed his lips before answering. "Because eventually you would…...leave me," he explained, hoping that she would understand what he was really trying to say. His life would continue, for how long, he had no idea. Centuries perhaps. And compared to that, her life would be over in but a blink of an eye. Although what he was telling her was not the real reason he opposed this relationship, it would perhaps be the one argument she would listen to. Perhaps if she thought that ending things now would save him pain in the future, she might be more accepting of the split.

He watched as she took in his words, processed them and finally came to understand them. She looked away from him then, her head slightly nodding in understanding. He didn't need to see her face to know that the tears had returned. She looked at him then, her eyes now reflecting defeat tinged with melancholy and regret. She stared into his eyes for a second more before pulling her purse more firmly to her shoulder and turning around, heading for the door.

Before she reached her destination, she stopped, her head bowed as she contemplated something. "It's funny….."she began, "you're willing to throw away a chance at happiness today because someday in the future, that joy may end." She turned back to him, and continued, "You're right…..I don't know how long I'll live. And sooner than I'd like to think, I'll grow old….gray hair….wrinkles. And you'll continue to look exactly the same as you do right now. What would people think, right? How would we ever explain it? Maybe by the time that happened, we would have to say goodbye. But I can't believe that you'd so willingly walk away from what we have….or at least what I think we have….right now."

He could see how she was struggling to fight off the tears that threatened to fall. He gazed at her while she worked through her thoughts. What she said next caught him completely off guard. "My mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was 17." She paused for a heartbeat or two before continuing. She went to all the doctors….had every test. Listened to what each had to say, but decided that she wanted no treatment for her illness." Beth let out a bitter laugh. "I was furious with her. How could she not fight to survive? Why wouldn't she do anything and everything that she could? I didn't understand. All I knew was that my mother was dying and she wanted nothing to do with stopping it from happening. The doctor said that without treatment, she would live for maybe one year more. She never made it that long. When she knew her time was coming, she finally had the chance to tell me what she'd tried to all along. She said, 'There's a difference between living and existing.' You see, if she'd gone through the chemotherapy, the hospitalizations, she would have missed doing all of the things that she loved to do. That would have killed her quicker than the cancer. I didn't really appreciate what she meant until I was older, but it's something that I'll never let myself forget." Beth sighed heavily. And sadly shaking her head, she continued, "I can't explain what it its that I feel for you. Somehow love just doesn't quite cover it," she explained with a sad smile. "And I don't know how much time we would have together, but for me…..even one day would be worth taking a chance." Her last words almost coming out as a choked whisper. "I don't want to just walk through my years as a ghost………I want to live." She stared into his eyes for a few seconds more, before turning once again and walking toward the door.

The moment seemed to freeze in time as Mick watched Beth slowly walk toward the door, and ultimately leave his life forever. The last words she'd said kept running through his mind. _I want to live……I want to live….._ He hadn't realized how much he had been just existing….hadn't seen how far he'd pulled himself away from humanity until Beth had invaded his life and his dreams…..how much he'd kept himself from enjoying all because of one betrayal. As he gazed at her retreating back, every fiber in Mick's being was crying out for him to stop her. But in doing so, could he accept the consequences of putting her in harm's way?

As Beth reached the door, her hand turning the lever, Mick suddenly sprinted forward and reached across her shoulder, pressing the door closed. Eyes closed he buried his face in the crook of her neck, and spoke just loud enough for her to hear, "Please don't leave……"

To be continued………


	7. Chapter 7

**The Confrontation Part 7 **

Beth trembled as she closed her eyes and rested her head on the door of Mick's apartment. She wasn't sure what had her more flustered, the events of the day or having Mick so intimately pressed against her. His hand still rested on the door next to her head, his face buried in the curve of her neck and his body seemingly molded to her back. Every time he exhaled, she could feel his warm breath as it seemingly caressed her. The nearness of his body played havoc with whatever control she had left. She wanted so badly to just turn and throw her arms around his neck and drown in him. The thought excited her beyond reason.

"Please…….," she heard him plead once more, his voice betraying his emotions. Perhaps he was as shaken as she. Could she dare hope that he wouldn't change his mind? That he wouldn't come to his senses once more and attempt to cut ties with her yet again?

Taking a tremulous breath, she slowly turned around and looked into Mick's eyes. She could see everything then, could read every answer to every question she had about what he hoped for the future of this relationship. If eyes were truly the windows to the soul, Mick had thrown open the shutters and had allowed Beth to see into every dark corner, every hidden recess. Closing her own eyes then, she rested her head against his shoulder and relaxed into his embrace, basking then in the realization that he wanted this as much as she did. It felt like arriving at a destination that you hadn't even realized you'd been searching for. Being there…..with him….. enveloped in the circle of his arms……..she felt truly at peace……she felt……at home.

She raised her head then and looked upon the features of the man she knew she would love forever, and perhaps always had loved. Placing her hand almost reverently on the side of his face, her thumb tenderly caressed his cheek. She could feel some of the tenseness in his body ease as he read her as surely as she did he. There were moments in life when no words were needed. When conversation existed purely on an instinctual level. This was one of those moments. Nothing either could have said aloud couldn't be communicated through look, through touch, through just being close.

A small smile tugged at Beth's mouth as she saw a look of wonder fill Mick's eyes. She knew what he was thinking. Ever since the night that his wife had turned him, since the moment he believed he had become a monster, he had always felt that he was no longer lovable. That somehow he no longer _deserved_ love, believing that he would spend eternity inside a self-imposed purgatory. The marvel now reflected in his eyes was tinged with hope that maybe a better future did finally lay before him. She also knew that there would be days ahead when he would once again doubt his worthiness. Little did he know, but she was now determined to make sure that his every day from now on would be filled with love and hope. She couldn't promise him eternity, but she silently promised whatever time she had left in this life would be in dedication to making that happen.

Beth shuddered as she felt Mick's hands travel slowly up the plane of her back, his touch seemed to burn, and in response, she felt herself arching toward him. His nostrils flared slightly when he saw and felt her reaction, and a shallow blue glow ignited in his eyes. It was her turn to stare in awe as the look on his face turned from reverential to something akin to pure unadulterated need and want. She had always sensed the barely controlled passions of this man, but was still pleasantly caught off guard to see that fervor rise so quickly to the surface.

Winding her hands into his silky hair, Beth pulled him closer to her. She brushed her own lips so lightly against his…….once…..twice, before she was rewarded with an almost unearthly growl before he crushed her to him devouring her mouth almost as if his very existence depended on keeping her close.

Too soon though, he tore himself away, his head coming to rest on her shoulder. Beth could feel his ragged breaths, the tremors that shook his body. She didn't need to look to know how close to the surface the inner vampire was. How even now, he struggled to control the so-called beast within him. She wouldn't have believed it, but she loved him all the more for his wanting to protect her, even from himself.

She eased his head from where it rested, attempting to make him to look at her. He tried to turn his face away, but she would have none of it. Finally he succumbed to her coaxing and reluctantly looked at her. The shame and misery that she saw there nearly broke her heart, reminding her so much of the moment when he had confessed his deepest, darkest secret to her. Smiling sadly, she took his face in her hands and looked into his now icy blue eyes. She feared that any words she would speak would fall on now deaf ears, so she attempted to show him, the only way she knew how, that she accepted who and what he was.

Sweetly, carefully she kissed his lips. Pulling back, she saw the concern and disbelief still etched on his amazingly handsome features. She continued in her reassurances as she skimmed her mouth along the line of his jaw and cheek, nuzzling her face against the side of his neck as she closed her eyes and just let the moment take her. She breathed him in and somehow willed him to understand her, to recognize that she accepted him wholly and completely. Winding her arms around his strong, muscular back, she leaned into him and allowed her body to melt into his, matching his strength to her softness, his determination to her acceptance.

She could feel his tentative acquiescence and held on all the more fiercer, her hands grasping the shirt that he wore, almost daring him to tear her away. Eyes tightly closed, her face buried in the hollow of his neck, she prayed that he would finally give in, that he would finally and willingly accept what was not just offered but what was promised.

She felt his body relax and could feel his powerful arms embrace her and hold on for dear life. An inner battle had been waged, and love, acceptance and a brighter future had won this day. The two stood there, locked in each other's embrace for minutes uncounted. Both unwilling to let go. Both content to just….be.

Some time later, Beth reluctantly pulled back, but just enough so that she could look into Mick's once more dark blue/gray eyes. Smiling, she once again placed her hand on his face, and said, "We'll make it work."

She watched Mick intently as she waited for his reaction to her pronouncement. Her heart leapt when she saw his eyes fill with acceptance and joy. Her smile widened further when he coiled his arms around her even tighter and lifted her off her feet. As she basked in this new future, she was delighted further when she could have sworn she heard him laugh.

A short epilogue to follow………..


	8. Chapter 8

**The Confrontation Epilogue**

Mick lay quietly listening to the sounds that the night always created. The traffic so far below, a faint but ever-present breeze singing through the structure of the building, and sometimes, he swore, he could even hear the _moonlight_ as it streamed through the windowpane. There was one more reverberation to add to that chorus this evening, the soothing, melodic heartbeat of the woman who now lay quietly nestled in his arms. He craned his neck so that he could look more fully on her innocent face as it lay pillowed on his chest. A satisfied smile graced his lips as he watched her in wonder. He brought his hand to her face and oh so delicately traced its contours, as if memorizing her by touch alone. She stirred slightly and in response he quickly withdrew his hand. His smile, however, did not fade.

She was still a constant source of astonishment to him. The child he had saved and vowed to watch over had grown into a beauty. That beauty may have been what drew him to her, but it was the woman she had become, strong, quick-witted and caring, that had captured his heart. Even as they lay together on the bed he had purchased so many years ago merely as an after-thought, he still found it hard to believe that she was truly there with him. That she had found some way, some unfathomable way, to love him in return, astonished him. How she could accept the monster along with the man, he might never understand. But the fact that she did, made him hopeful for the first time in nearly 55 years.

Staring up at the ceiling of the darkened room, Mick let his mind wander to his friend, Josef. The confrontation between Josef and Beth had decidedly been the turning point in his relationship with Beth. He had vowed to himself before this day, that he would keep Beth at arm's length in order to keep her safe. Her well-being was paramount to him, and it had been from the moment he found her in Coraline's clutches. He wondered now, how much of this afternoon's display had somehow been orchestrated. In the 50 some years that he had known him, he'd found that rarely did things happen by accident where Josef was concerned. A small laugh escaped Mick's lips as he thought about what that meant. Had Josef provided just enough leverage to the situation? Had he pushed Beth into her confession knowing that Mick stood outside that door listening to every word? For all of his bluster, for all of his cynicism, could Josef truly be a romantic at heart? The thought made Mick smile all the more, thinking that his friend truly did have a soft spot for the mortals in that icy cold heart of his.

Beth stirred slightly and wrapped her free arm more tightly across Mick's strong chest. Looking down once more, he marveled yet again at how fate had so felicitously stepped in and taken charge. He truly did not know what future lay before them. But echoing Beth's words, he did know that they would _make it work_. Somehow. Of that he was certain. And whatever time that they had together, he would be grateful for. A day….a week…..and hopefully many, many years.

For the first time in a very, very long time, Mick fell asleep in the comfort of a bed instead of a freezer. His arms encasing the woman he loved beyond reason. And his final thought, before sleep overtook him, was that _just perhaps _monsters did sometimes live happily ever after.

**THE END**

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